New scholarship program to benefit Union County grads

5:00 AM, May 15, 2013

Braves 2 College President Steve Arnett

Gleaner staff

MORGANFIELD — Braves 2 College is a new scholarship program with a mission.

Partners behind the scholarship program believe that every Union County student deserves the opportunity to pursue postsecondary education, according to a news release. So, an endowment was created to establish scholarships for high school students who are residents of Union County.

Beginning with the class of 2017 — the incoming high school freshmen class — all Union County graduates who meet certain criteria will be eligible to receive up to $1,000 per year for four consecutive years to assist with college costs.

Braves 2 College also assists with costs associated with dual credit classes taken during high school in partnership with Henderson Community College.

Criteria students must meet includes:

Maintain a 2.5 grade-point average;

Achieve 95 percent attendance and punctuality record;

Graduate from school in eight consecutive semesters or less;

Respectful interactions between students, staff, parents and community members as outlined in the UCHS Student Handbook Code of Conduct.

All eighth grade students in Union County Schools will be presented with Braves 2 College information and have the chance to commit to the program by meeting the established criteria. The school system will monitor each student's criteria requirements.

Successful students will automatically be awarded scholarship funds to attend a postsecondary institution of their choosing.

A news conference was held Tuesday morning at Union County Middle School to announce the new scholarship program, which is a partnership between Union County businesses, Northwest Kentucky Forward, Union County Schools and Henderson Community College.

"The best investment we can make in our community is for our kids," said Robert Ervin, the Braves 2 College fundraising chair and local businessman.

The fundraising initiative just kicked off, but raised $100,000 within a week. The goal is to raise $1.5 million this year.

It was announced at the meeting that Union County Fiscal Court will donate $250,000 to the program over the next four years for a $1 million total, said Malinda Beauchamp, public relations coordinator for Union County Schools.

HCC will also match half of that amount for an additional $500,000.

Union County Judge-executive Jody Jenkins has requested State Sen. Dorsey Ridley and State Rep. John Arnold that the next coal severance line item in the state budget be dedicated to Braves 2 College.